Avon Park curbside recycling to start

The city's curbside recycling program will start next week, which is ahead of schedule, according to City Manager Julian Deleon.

All the single-stream "blue" recycling carts have been distributed and the single-stream recycling program will start next week, Deleon said. Originally he believed the program would start in mid January.

After the city distributed garbage carts they got better and faster with the distribution of the recycling carts, he said.

The regular garbage will not be picked up on Monday or Tuesday.

On Wednesday, recycling products will be collected curbside for the first time citywide, Deleon said. Residents should have the recycling cart at the curb by 6 a.m.

Republic Services will run the recycling collection routes in the city. The materials will go to Republic's sorting and recovery facility in Bartow.

The city will no longer be collecting regular garbage on Mondays or Tuesdays. Citywide recycling collection will be every Wednesday.

The regular garbage will be collected on Thursdays or Fridays as part of the current route's schedule.

This once-per-week measure is being taken to promote resource conservation and to provide a cost savings to the city, Deleon said.

Residents are encouraged to recycle all plastics, glass, metals, cardboard, newsprint and paper products, which can be commingled in the blue cart.

The recycled materials will provide a savings to the city's sanitation department by reducing landfill fees, Deleon noted. Those savings could lead to a possible reduction in sanitation rates.

All unincorporated areas of Polk County have gone to once-per-week garbage pickup with the second pickup day earmarked for recycling, he noted.